Winter
by PhoenixxFyre
Summary: It's Christmas in Karakura town, and Keigo and Mizuiro throw a party to celebrate. Rukia has news, Orihime wants to see Ichigo, and Hitsugaya and Karin are bored. Ichigo x Orihime and Renji x Rukia.


**Hey, sorry. I know I'm late on this fic by a few weeks. I'm really sorry. I don't really like how this came out, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Again, I'm so sorry I posted this after Christmas...**

 **The pairing for this fic are Ichigo x Orihime, Renji and Rukia, and a little Hitsugaya x Karin, but if you're not a fan, you can just view those scenes as mere friendship, if you like.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing. It is all owned by Tite Kubo-sama.**

Ichigo Kurosaki awoke to the sound of crashing and banging. Startled, he jumped out of bed, expecting an intruder, or a hollow.

He did not expect Keigo and Mizuiro to barge into his room wearing Santa hats and holding glasses of eggnog.

"Merry Christmas, Ichigo!" they yelled in unison. Ichigo's brow twitched in frustration. He woke up because of...their partying?

"Damn it, you guys, don't be so loud! You woke me up!"

"Calm down, berry head. We're just having some fun," Keigo slurred. Ichigo stared at the glass of eggnog in his hand, realizing that it most likely contained alcohol. "We're throwing a party tonight to celebrate. You should invite Orihime! Damn, what I wouldn't give to see that goddess in a sexy Santa costume! I bet she'd look even better with-oof!"

"Shut it, Keigo, before I kick your ass."

Mizuiro snickered. "Dude, you totally have the hots for her! Can't blame ya, man. Inoue is gorgeous."

Ichigo glared at him with the intensity of a thousand burning suns, and he stopped talking in fear of what Ichigo would do to him.

"See ya," Ichigo said, grabbing some clothes and closed the bathroom door behind him. Mizuiro stared at the door for a few seconds before quietly laughing.

"Yep. He's into her."

Rukia sat on the bed, staring at her feet. She and Renji had finally gotten married a few months ago- something he still seemed ecstatic about- and she thought she couldn't be happier.

She was wrong.

She suspected something was wrong when she started feeling sick. After a few days of sickness, she visited Unohana to find out what exactly was wrong with her. The reason was something she had simply not expected.

"Pregnant?!" She had shouted, loud enough to capture the attention of several squad 4 members walking past her room.

"Yes," said Unohana, smiling at her. "Obviously, you are only within your first trimester, but you are indeed pregnant."

Rukia stared at her, speechless. She was having...a baby? It seemed almost unrealistic to her. She wondered how Renji would react when he found out.

"Ah! Oh god, what do I tell him?!" she yelled. She hadn't planned on having a child so soon and couldn't think of how to tell him! What was she supposed to say anyway, just walk up to him and say, I'm pregnant? No way!

And that was why, three days later, she still lay in bed. Renji, of course, worried about her constantly, and had somehow believed that she was sicker than she had told him. Despite her protests, he had insisted on making meals for her and doing all the chores around the house, even refusing missions so he could stay home with her.

The door slid open and Renji walked in carrying a tray of food. "You look better," he remarked, kissing her lightly on the lips before placing the tray on the table next to the bed.

"I feel better," she replied, though honestly she didn't. She brought the bowl of soup to her lips and slurped some of it down. Renji looked at her, relieved, and she inwardly sighed. She hadn't seen him this relieved since the morning sickness started.

She should have known it wouldn't last. After slurping down some more soup, she felt her stomach churn and she shoved the bowl in Renji's hands before running to the bathroom.

She stared at herself in the mirror after the morning sickness subsided. She had to tell him soon. There was just no way she could keep it a secret anymore.

Ichigo left his apartment and walked to the bakery around the corner. Did Mizuiro really have to bring that up? He and Orihime had been close friends for years now, so he supposed it wasn't a surprise that he had developed feelings for her. He just wasn't sure if he was ready to be in a relationship.

Seriously, he hunted hollows on a daily basis, and was a full-time student at the university. Not exactly the type of life you'd want to bring a girlfriend into. Though Orihime knew all about his lifestyle...

"ICHIGO!" Ichigo felt his lips curl upwards into a smile. Speak of the devil. Orihime waved at him as she walked out of the bakery, carrying a small bag on her arm.

"Hey, Orihime," he said casually, waving back to her. She jogged up to him and gave him a hug.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you! Mizuiro said you guys were having a party tonight and you invited me! I can't wait!"

Ichigo froze. That asshole. He must have called Orihime in an attempt to set them up. Not the first time he's pulled a stunt like that, but still...

"Yeah. I'm still not sure if I want to go though."

"Oh, but you have to! I only agreed to go because I thought you would be there! I even invited your sisters, Chad, Uryu, and a few soul reapers! Please?"

Damn it. He had no choice now. He sighed.

"Fine, if you insist. I'll go."

"Yay!" Orihime hugged him again, and Ichigo felt warmth course through his body. In a way, he was glad Orihime invited the others. He would be distracted, and he didn't want to get involved with Orihime. The last thing he wanted was to drag her deeper into his life.

She left him, and jogged off in the direction of her apartment. Ichigo watched her go, the warmth slowly fading. He wished he could be with her, wished he could love her, touch her, hold her.

But he promised himself that he would not, because he didn't want to risk losing her because of his work.

Hitsugaya stared at the door in front of him. Why did he come here? Was he stupid? Either that, or he just enjoyed pain. Why else would he want to see Karin Kurosaki if not for those reasons?

 _Isn't it obvious?_ , his conscious whispered to him. He ignored it and knocked on the door. A sandy haired girl answered and stared at him for a moment, before her face split into a wide grin.

"Toshiro!" Yuzu yelled, grabbing him into a hug and squeezing him tight. It amazed him, just how strong Ichigo's little sister had gotten. No longer was she the tiny, skinny little girl she used to be. Now, she was almost a stranger, with her long hair and lean figure.

"Hi," he mumbled, crushed by her chest. "Is Karin here?"

Yuzu let go of him and Hitsugaya inhaled a deep breath of air. "KARIN! YOUR BOYFRIEND'S HERE!"

Hitsugaya made a choking sound in the back of his throat, as Karin charged down the stairs and glanced from him to Yuzu. "He is NOT my boyfriend, Yuzu!" She yelled, charging past her sister and grabbing Hitsugaya's arm.

 _Like brother, like sister,_ he thought as she dragged him away from her house. She released his arm and he rubbed it, knowing that a bruise may appear later.

"Whaddya want, Toshiro?" she asked him gruffly. He looked at her. She was slightly taller than him now, and her once long hair was now cut short in an almost boyish style.

Other than that, she hadn't changed. At all. "Can't I just say hi?" he asked her. She scowled at him.

"No, because the last few times you 'just wanted to say hi,' I was dragged on one of your missions."

"I really am sorry about that."

"You led us into the sewer system!"

Yep. She was never going to let that one go.

"Fine! I wanted to ask you if you were going to Ichigo's party tonight!"

Karin looked taken aback, if only for a second. "Of course I am, dumbass. He's my brother and I've hardly seen him since he started college. You think I'm just gonna skip my brother's stupid party?"

"I see. Then would you-"

"Sure. I'll go with you. I'd rather not hang around with Yuzu and Jinta anyway. I'd feel like a freakin' third wheel if I did."

"How did you-"

"You're obvious," she stated bluntly. "I'll meet you at Urahara's shop, then. See ya." She turned on her heel and walked away. Hitsugaya absentmindedly walked through town, deciding that there was no other way to pass the time, unless a hollow decided to enter the human world.

The party was huge. Actually, huge might have been an understatement. The apartment, which was rather large, was crowded with people, more than Ichigo had seen since he first moved in with his friends and they threw their new year's party. Music pounded from the stereo system, and lights flashed hypnotically through the room. Bodies crowded the living room, gyrating to the music, while in the kitchen, groups of people gathered to talk.

Ichigo hated every second of it. He pushed his way through the crowds, trying to search for a familiar face in the sea of strangers. Did Keigo and Mizuiro really know this many people? Unable to find anyone he knew, he decided to wait near the door in case they walked in.

Renji and Rukia had somehow found their way into one of the bedrooms. Rukia had no clue how they ended up here, just that the crowd of gyrating humans threw them around the living room. Maybe that's how they ended up here. Either way...

Renji closed the bedroom door behind them and sat down next to Rukia, pulling her into his lap and kissing her deeply. She loved it when he kissed her like this. It made her head foggy and, for a moment, forgot about everything except for him. It was bliss.

The kiss ended too soon for her liking. Renji tucked a lock of short black hair behind her ear and gently nibbled on her earlobe, making her moan quietly. She felt him lay her down on the bed and felt his chest on top of hers. "Rukia," he groaned into her ear. She felt her lower regions tighten up at the deep purr of his voice.

"Renji," she breathed, biting her lip and his hands traveled slowly up and down her body. He lifted the hem of her shirt up and kissed her stomach, his hands caressed her sides, slowly working their way up to-

"Wait. Stop," she said, though she didn't really want him to stop. He pulled her shirt back down and propped himself up to look at her.

"What is it?" he asked her, his voice holding concern for his wife. "Do you feel sick again? We can always leave if you're-"

"No. That's not it. There's something I have to tell you. It's important." Rukia pushed herself up into a sitting position and grasped Renji's hand. This wasn't how she had planned for this to go, but she supposed it had to be done.

"I'm pregnant."

Karin and Hitsugaya leaned against the wall, staring at partygoers with matching expressions of disinterest. Yuzu and Jinta had abandoned them moments after entering the party to dance, and they hadn't been seen since. Not that Karin cared much. They were probably making out or something, and she only came for Ichigo. Where the hell was her brother, anyway?

"He should be here," she grumbled. Hitsugaya grunted in response before chuckling.

"Look at those two over there," he said, gesturing to a pretty ginger and a black haired boy. The woman danced with all the finesse of a belly dancer. The man, on the other hand, probably never danced a day in his life. Hitsugaya laughed at them until he saw the woman's face. His laughter abruptly stopped.

"Rangiku?!" he yelled.

Rangiku looked at Hitsugaya and waved. Her partner turned around and his eyes widened when he saw Karin.

"Uryu?" Karin said, laughing. She had never thought Uryu to be interested in dancing. Guess he wasn't counting on anyone noticing him in this crowd, or Rangiku dragged him onto the dance floor.

"What's so funny?" Uryu demanded, only succeeding in making Karin laugh harder.

"You're a terrible dancer!" she yelled through laughter. Uryu's face went red and he walked over to her. Somehow, it was enough to sober her up a little. He opened his mouth to say, or possibly yell, something to her, but he never got the chance to.

'WHAT?!" a man yelled from the bedroom near them, and a moment later they heard a loud thud. The four of them stared at the door, wordlessly, until Rangiku broke the silence.

"I can only imagine what those two are doing in there," she said, snickering at whatever dirty thought had popped into her head, and Hitsugaya pinched her.

"Excuse me," a feminine voice said from behind them. They turned around to see Orihime, dressed in a pretty white sweater with pink leggings and black boots. She smiled when she realized who they were, and she gave Karin a hug.

"Have you guys seen Ichigo? I was supposed to meet him here," she said. Karin shook her head.

"I haven't seen him. I'm sure he's here, though. Especially if he was meeting you here," she told her with a smirk. Orihime looked confused for a moment, but then smiled and thanked her before disappearing into the crowd.

"Stupid Ichigo," Karin said. "He probably doesn't even realize she's crazy about him."

Ichigo sat on the roof of the building, staring up at the night sky. He really had no desire to go down to the party, forced into a tight space surrounded by people and EDM pounding his head into a steady ache. He knew he should, if only to see Orihime and his sisters. They were probably waiting for him down there. He stood up and brushed the back of his pants off. He might as well. It was getting really cold out here, after all.

The faint hum of spirit energy stopped him. A hollow, and it was close by. He sprinted for the door and rushed down the steps until he reached his apartment. Ichigo threw the door open, and was hit with the overwhelming intensity of the party.

The place reeked of alcohol, smoke, and other scents he really didn't want to identify. More people had arrived since he left, and the living room was crowded to the point where he was surprised they could still move. Dance music blared from the stereo system loud enough to drown out even the loudest voice. He closed the door behind him and pushed through the crowd to get to his room. Couples glared at him, and some girls tried to pull him into the fray, but he ignored them as best as he could.

He finally reached his room and flung open the door, only to be rewarded with the sight of a couple passionately making out on his bed. They looked up when he walked in, and he gave them a sour look. "Get out," he growled. He wasn't sure if they heard him or not, but they clearly got the message, grabbing discarded clothes and other items and hurried out of the room. Ichigo closed the door behind them and reached under his bed, patting the floor until he felt something soft and furry under his hand. He pulled Kon out from under his bed and shook the stuffed lion, trying to force the soul candy from out of his plush body.

"Hey! What the hell, Ichigo?! You know how rude it is to hold someone upside down and shake them?!"

"Shut up!" Ichigo yelled back. "I need the soul candy, so just cough it up!"

"No!"

One violent pat later, the soul candy flew out of Kon's mouth, and Ichigo wiped the moisture on his pants before swallowing it. He felt his soul detach from his physical body, and he looked down at it before climbing out the window and navigating his way down.

 _Sorry Orihime_ , he thought as he ran in the direction of the unknown spiritual pressure. _I promise I'll see you when this is over._

"Captain, do you feel that?" Rangiku asked Hitsugaya. He frowned, concentrating on the atmosphere, and picked up spiritual pressure.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Should we go check it out?"

Hitsugaya thought about it for a moment. There were soul reapers patrolling the city tonight in case hollows entered the world of the living. Yet he felt the need to go to it.

"Let's go," he told Rangiku, and they left the apartment in their soul reaper form, leaving their gigai behind in the apartment.

"Wait," a voice cried out when they finally hit the street. Hitsugaya turned around to see Karin leaning against the brick wall of the apartment, breathing heavily and sweating. "Where...are you...going?" she asked him in between pants.

"We detected spiritual pressure and we're going to check it out. Go back inside, we'll be back soon." He turned around, but her last words to him made him pause.

"You better...come back! I'll be...waiting...for you!"

Hitsugaya tightened his grip on his sword. "I will," he told her, and ran off into the dark night.

"I can't believe it," Renji said, almost dreamily. "A baby. We're going to be parents." He looked at Rukia and kissed her softly. "I love you."

Rukia smiled at him. "I love you too." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face down until their lips met. The familiar shockwave flooded through her, and she gave into it, moaning as Renji kissed her deeper and tugged at her hair. Oh, she loved this. She craved it like some sort of drug. She felt him lift her shirt up, and she arched her back to help him take it off. They undressed each other, and Renji hovered over her, staring lovingly into her eyes.

The door slammed open, and the couple turned around to glare at their intruder. Orihime stood in the doorway, blushing furiously at their intimacy.

"Orihime!" Rukia exclaimed, covering herself with the comforter. Renji just looked shocked.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I didn't mean to intrude." She covered her eyes with her hands and looked away. "I was just wondering if you guys had seen Ichigo, and-I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright," said Rukia calmly, even though it was far from alright. "We haven't seen Ichigo anywhere today. I'm sorry."

"Okay! Thank you!" Orihime whipped around and quickly shut the door behind her. Rukia and Renji stared at each other for a few moments before laughing.

"Did you see her face?" Rukia snickered, trying to hold back the torrent of laughter that threatened to flood out of her.

Renji laughed harder. "Yeah. I just hope she didn't see anything important." His face went as red as his hair then, and Rukia pulled him down into a deep kiss.

"Where were we again? Remind me," she told him seductively, and Renji grinned at her before tugging the comforter over their heads.

Ichigo arrived at the old Karakura hospital. It had been abandoned for years-long before he was born-and was home to dozens, if not hundreds, of spirits. Some of which liked to follow him home, demanding why he was able to see them.

He hated this place, and everything about it. He grimaced just looking at the grimy stone building in front of him. He took a deep breath, and pushed open the double doors.

Inside looked exactly like the outside, only creepier. Medical supplies and equipment littered the floor, while both the floor and walls were covered in red, gray, and black smudges. From what he remembered, there was a fire, and the hospital never reopened.

Thank God.

Ichigo heard a thud from one of the upstairs rooms, and he charged up the stairs to investigate. A hollow crouched in the middle of the floor, and by the chewing and sucking sounds, he could easily guess what it was doing. It turned around when he came in, and threw down a half eaten corpse. Ichigo fought the urge to gag at the sight of the corpse.

"Soul reaper," the ugly hollow growled, licking its bloody lips.

"I'm going to destroy you,' Ichigo said quietly. He had to, so nobody else would end up like that unfortunate human. He was about to charge, when the hollow suddenly shot poison darts out of its body.

"Watch out!" A shield surrounded him, and the darts pinged harmlessly off of it. Ichigo spun around to see Orihime behind him, holding both temples where her barrettes used to be.

"Orihime, what are you doing here?! You have to get away from here!"

"No! I'm going to help you!"

Ichigo sighed heavily. Of course, he was grateful for her help, but he didn't want her getting hurt in the process. He knew there was no way to get her to leave, though. Her eyes held fierce determination; she wasn't going to leave, no matter what he said.

"Fine. But stay back when things get rough."

"Mm." She nodded and focused on the hollow. He leapt at the hollow with all the energy he had within him. He was going to take down this hollow, go back to Keigo and Mizuiro's stupid party, and-

 _I'm going to tell her how I feel,_ he thought as he slashed at the hollow, lopping its head off. Ichigo grinned and looked back at Orihime.

"That was easy," he said to her. He froze, fear paralyzing him. Orihime's mouth was open, as if she was trying to speak, a horrified and pained look set in her eyes. In her chest was a barb, blood dripping from the tip. Her shirt was already bloody around the edges of the wound.

"Orihime!" he cried, rushing over to her and catching her before she fell to the grubby floor. She breaths came in short, wet gasps. She tried to speak, but no words came out, only gurgles. Blood leaked out of the corner of her mouth, and Ichigo bit his lip to hold back a sob.

"I'm sorry," he said, clutching her to his chest.

"Ichigo!" Hitsugaya and Rangiku stopped in the hallway when they saw Orihime.

"Help," he told them, his voice thick with unshed tears. "I can't lose her."

Rangiku pulled a device out of her pocket, and then the world went dark.

Orihime pried her eyes open, soft light filling the room.

 _Where am I?_ she thought to herself, trying to look around the unknown room. A sharp pain in her chest made her stop and lay back down.

The door opened with a soft click, and Ichigo and Hanataro walked in. Ichigo let out a relieved breath, seeing that she was awake.

"Ichigo," she croaked. Hanataro handed her a glass of water, and she drank it down in a few short gulps. "What happened?" she asked them. 

"You don't remember?" Ichigo asked her. She thought for a moment, and was able to recall a hollow, and Ichigo killing said hollow. Then she remembered a burning pain...

"Was I stabbed?"

"You were impaled by one of the hollow's barbs. It punctured your lung, but I was able to heal you. Rangiku called me in a panic and told me-"

Orihime had stopped listening at that point and instead focused on Ichigo. Seeing him, in this room, alive, comforted her in a way that nothing could. She noticed a strange look on his face, one she recognized. He wanted to say something.

"Put you in Ichigo's bed, and-"

"Huh?!" Orihime shouted, and her chest screamed in protest. She groaned and pressed a hand over the aching spot, feeling the bandages beneath her oversized shirt.

"Can I have a moment with Orihime? Alone?" Ichigo asked Hanataro, and Hanataro nodded, walking out of the bedroom and silently shutting the door behind him. Orihime looked back at Ichigo. He looked...calmer, now that Hanataro left.

"Ichigo, I-"

"Stop. You were trying to help me, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left the party without seeing you first. I was an idiot."

"That's not what you wanted to say, was it?"

Ichigo stared at her in astonishment. Orihime held his gaze. She knew him better than he thought, and she knew how to read him.

Even down to the littlest things like unspoken thoughts.

"Tell me," she said, grabbing his hand even though the movement made her chest ache. "Please," she added.

Ichigo remained silent, after several minutes, when she thought he wasn't going to speak, he finally answered.

"I love you."

Orihime felt tears well in her eyes. She had been wanting to hear those very words since high school. She never dreamed she'd hear them, especially not while she was lying injured on his bed. She let out a quiet laugh, even though it hurt.

"What's so funny?" Ichigo demanded, leaning into her to glare at her. She smiled at the closeness, and decided to take advantage of it. She closed the short distance between them and let her eyes flutter shut, indulging in the feeling of his lips on hers. She raised a hand and played with his hair. She let out a soft moan, and then Ichigo pulled away. He stared at her, love reflected in his eyes. He leaned back down again and returned her kiss. They stayed that way for a while, kissing and lightly touching, admiring each other without having to hide any feelings.

An hour later, Hanataro opened the door to Ichigo's room. It was over an hour already. What could he possibly want to say to her that would take that long.

They were both asleep, Orihime still lying on her back, but Ichigo was curled around her, holding her gently so as not to hurt her. Hanataro smiled and shut the door.

 _I'll check on her later_ , he thought as he left the couple alone to sleep.


End file.
